Port Orange gives more flexibility to proposed development

Friday

Jun 21, 2013 at 5:00 PMJun 21, 2013 at 9:19 PM

RAY WEISSSTAFF WRITER

PORT ORANGE — Looking for more flexibility for a future Williamson Boulevard commercial and residential development, ICI Homes has received narrow support from Port Orange for a proposed land-use plan change that goes to state agencies for initial review. If granted, the City Council still holds the power to approve or deny the request. ICI Homes, the developer of Woodhaven, said the proposed realignment of a 2.6-mile Williamson Boulevard extension between Airport Road and Pioneer Trail created the need for a "more flexible" mixed-used designation for the project, which includes a retail complex similar to The Pavilion. Currently, specific areas for commercial and residential development exist. The mixed-use designation would blend what are now distinct boundaries, and affect 119 of the 730 acres owned by ICI Homes west of Interstate 95 in southern Port Orange. City planner Penelope Cruz said the revision of the plan would not create additional density beyond what's currently allowed. "They are not asking for any increase in the number of units or square footage," she said. "Really, the only reason they're applying for this category is to have that flexibility in the distribution of uses, not to change any of their development entitlements." But at Tuesday's meeting Vice Mayor Don Burnette said submitting the request for a land-use change to state agencies before the city reviewed plans for the actual project was unsettling but voted in favor of it with Mayor Allen Green and Councilman Dennis Kennedy. Even if state agencies approve the land-use plan changes in the next few months, the city and developer must work through detailed negotiations on the proposed project. But Councilman Bob Ford, joined by Drew Bastian, voted against sending the request for a land-use change to the state until the council reviewed details about the development. "How do I vote on a land-use change on a plan I haven't seen? The cart is ahead of the horse. I don't know what they're going to do out there. I'm hearing a lot of conceptual things," Ford said, adding, "We are talking about changing the whole character of that end of Port Orange." But David Haas, development director for ICI Homes, said the project already fits into the more structured designations of the current comprehensive land-use plan. He said the company only wants added flexibility that a mixed-use designation would provide since the proposed alignment of Williamson Boulevard had changed. "Our plans are essentially done. We're not going to change anything," he said. "We're not going to change where apartments will go or where commercial will go or any of those things."